Consumers are putting more purchases on plastic — and paying more for the privilege. Rising prices have caused many Americans to feel suddenly cash-strapped and more dependent on credit cards to make ends meet. After consumers paid off a record $83 billion in credit card debt during the pandemic, helped by government stimulus checks and fewer opportunities
Personal finance
Your end-of-life experience may be very different depending on where you live, according to a Policygenius report that ranks the country’s best and worst places to die. The report gave each state and the District of Columbia a numerical score based on seven factors, including funeral costs and services, green burials, palliative care, Medicare providers,
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 04: Supporters of The Debt Collective convene near the U.S. Department of Education to demand full student debt cancellation on April 04, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for MoveOn & Debt Collective) Leigh Vogel | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Nearly 9 in 10 young Americans
Benjamin Gibson, a pharmacist in San Antonio, Texas, makes more than $100,000 a year and owns his own home. And yet, Gibson, 40, struggles to afford basic necessities, including groceries and gas. “When you are used to spending a couple of dollars on fruits and vegetables and then you’re paying a lot more, it stresses
Liudmila Chernetska | Istock | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education recently announced a number of massive changes to the federal student loan system, which it says could bring millions of borrowers closer to debt forgiveness. Federal student loan borrowers have long run into serious issues, including misinformation from their servicers, too many choices
A “We’re Hiring” sign hangs on the front door of a toy store in Greenvale, New York, on Sept. 30, 2021. John Paraskevas/Newsday RM via Getty Images State cuts to pandemic unemployment benefits last summer had a small impact on hiring, suggesting enhanced funding for the unemployed didn’t play a big role in labor shortages,
Georgijevic | E+ | Getty Images If you had a surprise tax bill this filing season, it may be time to adjust your withholdings, financial experts say. Whether you’re a W-2 employee or self-employed, the IRS expects an ongoing piece of your income, paid through withholdings or quarterly payments. As of April 8, nearly 68% of
Skyrocketing student debt has been devastating for young adults. As the cost of college has risen, more students have had to borrow to help pay for school. Now, recent graduates are delaying some of life’s major milestones because of their loan burdens. Americans across all generations have made such sacrifices, from saving for retirement to
Lee Jimenez, a teacher at Indian Hill Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio, discusses credit cards and methods of payments with his 3rd grade class using online financial education curriculum SmartPath. SMARTPATH There’s momentum for personal finance education becoming law in many states across the country. Even more states could pass legislation this year to make
Eric Audras / Getty Images What type of insurance should you have at different stages of your life? When asked, financial advisors pointed to disability and life insurance as most important kind of coverage at any stage, as they apply throughout our lives. In addition, advisors discussed often overlooked considerations for different points in your
William F. Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at a press conference on Sep. 10, 2018. Galvin championed a state rule governing investment advice, which a judge invalidated in March 2022. Michael Swensen for The Boston Globe via Getty Images The fight to protect consumers from bad investment advice has been a multi-year saga.
A person shops for groceries at Lincoln Market on March 10, 2022 in the Prospect Lefferts Garden neighborhood of Brooklyn borough in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images New government inflation data shows prices are surging in one key area – food. Now some states are looking at helping to reduce that